Closure fastener for ham boilers



Augg 3i 192% J. KAEFER, JR

0305mm FASTENER FOR HAM mums Filed Sept. 25, 1925 JOHN KAEFER, 31%., OF CINCINNATI, GHIO.

CLOSURE FASTENER F613, HAM BOILERS.

Application filed September The invention has for an object to effect improvements in the copstruction of such a device as shown in my co-peneiling application, Ser. No. 726,305, filed July 16th, 1921, of which this application is a continuation in part. A particular aim of the invention is to improve the means whereby a lid is held upon a receptacle under tension whereby to follow up and maintain pressure upon the contents of the receptacle while the contents are in process of shrinkage incident to cooking. An additional purpose is to facilitate the manipulation of such devices.

An especially important object of the invention is to effecta novel functioning in the pressure bar carried upon the receptacle, by which the lid of the receptacle is engaged and pressed upon the contents.

A further very important aim of the in vention is to present a novel construction in the parts by which the pressure bar is mounted, to the end that they may be assembled without the use of. nuts and belts or other special fasteningsrequiring the use of tools, or expensive machine operations.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, as will be understood from the following description, and accompanying d *awings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a ham boiler constructed in accordance with my invention, 7

Figure 2 is an enlarged end view thereof from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view medially of Figure 2, viewed from the left.

Figure 4!: is a cross section on the line 1& of Figure 3.

Figure 5 isa similar view on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail of the pin retaining washer from the lower side.

Figure 7 is a similar View of the upper spring seat,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1, partly in section, showing a modification.

Figure 9 is a top view of the modification.

There is illustrated a receptacle 10, which may be of any form suitable for the uses to which the invention is applicable, the wall 12 of which is beaded exteriorly atthe upper edge, and at the end of the receptacle a notch or drop 13 is formed in the upper edge.

Serial No. 58,574.

Both ends of thereceptacle are alike in the parts hereinafter described, and for this reason but one end will be referred to and illustrated, the general form of t'he'device and its uses being readily understood in the art. A lid 14 is provided having a longitudinally projecting lug ortooth 15 at the end, which at the lowermost position of the lid in the receptacle will project through the notch 13. The outer parts of the lug 15 are provided with a nearly or quite horizontal upper side and undercut sloping end adapted to engage correspondingly shaped teeth of a ratchet or presser bar 16, springpressed and vertically reciprocable in a: guideway housing 17, by which bar the lid is clamped upon the con tent of the receptacle 10. The housing includes side walls integrally formed on the re ceptacle 10, extending: vertically and in parallel relation, and connected at their upper ends by an integral guide plate 19, and at their lower parts by a cross bar 1'8,the housing being. open. at the bottom and; for the most time at the outer side between the plates 19 and bar 18,.having'inturned flanges 29 at their outer edgesstopping short of the plate 19 a distance.

The plate 19 is' formed with an oblong aperture 22 t'herethrough, the major axis of which is coincident withv the longitudinal aXis of the receptacle. Vertically slida'ble,

and oscillatable longitudinally in this opens ing there is a substantially cylindrical shank 2a of the presser bar 16. The upper end of the presser bar is formed with an enlargement presenting a shoulder 23 adapted to rest upon the plate 19 at. times, to limit downward movement of't'he bar. The inner side of the enlargement is formed Wlth' a series of uniform spaced teeth 21', adapted to alternatively engage the lug 15. t will be noted that with the lid in place when the bar 16 is swung outwardly to the outer end of the slot 22, the teeth 21 will clear the lug 15, permitting the lidto be lifted from the receptacle readily without interference, and that when the bar 16 is at the inner end of the slot 22, the teeth of the barmay engage the lug15 efliciently. The intermedi ate shank portion 24 is formed with indentations on opposite sides as at 25 (Figures 3 and 4) forming parallel faces so that a reduced part oblong in sectionis formed. Engaged around the upper part of the shank immediatelybeneath the plate 19' there is a square washer 26, adaptedto receive theshank snugly and slid-ably therethrough, but having opening at the inner side of a width corresponding to the transverse dimension of the shank between the notches 25, so that the washer may be introduced around the shank when presented between the walls of the housing with the open part of the washer alined with the notches 25. The notches 25 are formed on the sides of the shank with and opposite the teeth 21 respectively, so that the major transverse axis of the reduced shank portion extends at right angles to the opening in the washer, and should the bar be lifted to bring the notches to a level with the washer, under ordinary operation of the device, the washer could not become disengaged. It is to be noted that the upper part of the open side of the housing 1"? permits the washer 26 tobe presented through the open side of the housing while in horizontal position, closely against the plate 19, and the washer is slidable against the under side of this plate, against which it is held frictionallv by means of a spring 28. The spring is seated at its lower end upon a square washer 29. which rests upon a cross pin 30, set in a horizontal slot or notch 31, formed in the shank 21 at its lower part, opening on one side of the shank, having a substantially horizontal lower side, and an upwardly inclined upper side, the slot being of such depth as to receive the pin 30 transversely of the shank adjacent the longitudinal axis of the shank. The washer 29 is formed with a downwardly extending tongue 32 at one side to and extending downward beyond the notch 31, the tongue being tapered toward its lower end, and at its broader upper part pressing against the pin so as to hold the latter snugly in a central position on the shank of the bar 16. preventing movement of the pin toward the open side of the notch The tongue 32 in bottom plan as viewed in Figure 6. conforms to the shape of the opening through the washer 29 so as to receive the lower thickened part of the shank therethrough, and the lateral edge portions of this tongue engage the pin 30. The shank is thickened adjacent the notch 31, so as to avoid weakening of the shank 2%. which is required to withstand considerable shocks in use, this thickening being mainly at the side opposite the notch 31. The shank may be slightly cut away adjacent the notch 31 at the lower part, as shown at 34 in Figure 3, which will facilitate introduction of the pin, as will be described. The two washers are held against rotation by the side walls of the housing at all times and the flanges 341 confine the washer 31.

In the assembly of these parts, the presser bar 16 is inserted downwardly tl rough the plate 19 with the teeth 21 presented toward the receptacle (on account of the enlargemesses ment opposite the notch 31), and as the notches 25 come on a level with the space immediately below the plate 19, the bar 16 is turned on its axis so that the teeth 21 are at one side of the housing 17, which permits the insertion of the washer 20, the opening 27 passing the notches 25, as indicated. lVhen the washer is fully inserted, the bar 16 is then turned to its operative position and inserted until the shoulder 23 rests upon the plate 19. The spring 28 is then inserted from the bottom of the housing, followed by the washer 29, with the tongue 32 presented toward the lower open end of the housing adjacent the notch 31. The washer 29 is then forced upwardly against the action of the spring 28 until the tongue clears the slot 31, after which the pin 30 is thrust laterally upward within the housing 17 beside the shank 2 1 while the pin is in horizontal position, this permitting it to pass into the notch 31. The pin being properly placed in the notch 31, the washer is allowed to move downwardly until the tongue retains the pin in place under action of the spring 28 and the washer 29 rests upon the pin, whereby the thrust of the spring holds the bar 16 yieldingly at the lower limit of its movement. The washer 29 coacting with the pin 30 holds the bar 16 against rotation, so that without other special construction the teeth 21 are always presented toward the lid when required to entherewith.

In the use of this device, it will be noted that when the upper end of the presser bar is forced horizontally to either limit of its movement in the slot 22, frictional engagement of the washer 26 against the under side of the plate 19 under pressure of the spring will hold the bar in such position until moved manually otherwise. This is of great advantage in voiding delays either by accidental disengagement of the teeth of the bar with the lug of the lid, or by casual engagement of the teeth with the lug when the lid is being removed. It will be noted that the under sides of the teeth 21 are sloped downwardly slightly from their inner end-s toward the outer ends, and also the upper side of the lug 15 may be sloped upwardly toward its extremity slightly, which will aid in preventing casual disengagement of the presser bar, and this will be supplemented by the frictional action of the washer 26, as before mentioned, making the security of the device doubly assured.

The principle of assembly of the parts may be utilized also in connection with the construction shown in Figures 8 and 9, which involve the spring-pressed latch, such as shown in my said prior application, especially arranged for convenience in manipulation so that when the receptacle is supported by grasping the handle 18, the

thumb of the same hand by which the de vice is carried, may be utilized to retract the latch which is slidably engaged in a channeled guide 36 formed integrally on the lid 14. The outer end of the latch is provided with a tooth portion adapted to engage the teeth 21 of the presser bar 16,

which is snugly fitted slidably in an open-' ing in the plate 19. In this instance, the washer 26 is not required, and the notches may be omitted, but the lower part of the shank 2d may otherwise be the same as before described, as well as parts by which it is secured in place. The latch 85 is formed at its inner end with a tit 37, while the end of the handle 18 is inserted through a transverse rib 88 on the lid 14:, so that it-together with the tit 37'may be inserted in a spring 39 thereby retained between the rib 38 and the latch, as shown.

The operation of the latch 35 and also the bar 16 may be accomplished as dotted at LO-41 in Figures 1 and 8. The bar 16 may be operated by pressing directly thereagainst, the thumb of the hand by which the handle 18 is grasped for carrying the receptacle and removing the lid.

.l claim:

1. In a securing means for the lids of ham boilers and the like, a vertical guideway on the side of the boiler receptacle, a vertically reciprocable lid clamping bar therein, said bar having a transverse notch at its lower part, a pin laid in the notch projecting at each side of the bar, a washer on the bar having a tongue extending over the notch beside the pin, said washer being snugly slidable in said guideway, and a spring confined between the washer and the distal part of the guideway opposite the pin.

2. In a securing means for the lids of receptacles of the character described, com prising a guideway on the receptacle, a vertically rcciprocable and oscillatable bar in said guideway having a plurality of teeth on its inner side, and a projection on the lid to engage the teeth, said bar having a shank portion formed with opposed notches at an intermediate position thereon forming a reduced shank portion therebetween, oblong in cross section, a washer adapted to fit snugly and slidably around the upper part of the shank and having an opening at one side to receive the reduced shank portion therethrough, said guideway constructed at the 'upper part to receive the washer slidably therethrough, said Washer being slidably engaged against the top of the guideway, and a spring confined between the washer and the lower part of the shank.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said reduced shank portion is disposed at right angles to the opening in said washer normally.

4. A mounting for lid-clamping bars on receptacles comprising a top plate apertured to receive the bars slidably and oscillatably, a washer supported on the lower part of the bar, a spring confined between the washer and top plate, a topwasher around the bar between the spring and top plate, and slidable against the top plate, and a guideway retaining the named washer for free vertical reciprocation.

5. The combination of a rod-like element mounted for reciprocation longitudinally, a guideway around the rod in spaced relation thereto, said rod having a notch open on one side, a pinlaterally insertable laid in the notch and of a length to project at each end, a washer snugly fitting the rod and slidable therewith in the guideway, a tongue on the washer projecting across the notch to retain said pin, and yielding means bearing against the washer against the pin.

6. A mounting for a longitudinally re ciprocable and oscillatable rod-like member comprising a guideway having an end member with an oblong slot therethrough, a rod shank having a reduced intermediate portion ablong in cross section, a non-revoluble washer having an opening at one side adapted to receive said reduced portion therethrough and snugly and slidably fitting the shank, said washer being slidable against said end member, said reduced portion of the shank being normally arranged at right angles to the opening of the washer, said shank having a lateral notch, a pin laterally insertable laid in said notch, a washer snugly slidable on the shank between the pin and the first named washer, the second named washer having a tongue projected across the notch, and a spring confined between the washers, said guideway guiding the second named washer in reciprocation with the shank, and holding said second named washer against rotation on the axis of the shank.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN KAEFER, JR. 

